Govt moves to overhaul public health system nationwide
By Kiprono Keileb, February 6, 2026The government has stepped up plans to strengthen Kenya’s public health system following high-level talks between the Ministry of Health and leaders representing public health practitioners.
The discussions focused on improving laws, staffing, and support for frontline officers who play a key role in keeping communities safe from disease and poor sanitation.
The meeting was held on Friday, February 6, 2026, and brought together the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, and the leadership of the Kenya Environmental and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU). The talks come at a time when the country is pushing for stronger preventive healthcare and better services at the community level.
“The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, today held a consultative meeting with the top leadership of the Kenya Environmental and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU), led by Secretary General Brown Ashira,” the stament reads
The discussions then shifted to the need to update laws guiding public health work across the country. The ministry said the process will strengthen the egal mandate of public health practitioners and enhance the implementation of sanitation and hygiene standards.
“Discussions centred on the review of the public health legislative framework, including the formal gazettement of regulated functions. This process is expected to strengthen the legal mandate of public health practitioners and enhance the enforcement of sanitation and hygiene standards nationwide,” the statement reads.
Attention was also given to the daily challenges facing officers on the ground, especially staffing and funding gaps.
“The meeting also addressed workforce challenges within the sector, with emphasis on existing staffing gaps, the need for improved financing, and enhanced budgetary allocations to support public health technicians and specialists.”
Officials also explored reforms aimed at improving professionalism and coordination across the health sector.
“On the policy front, the engagement explored the harmonisation of Community Health Associations, alongside the formal registration and licensing of practitioners, as key measures to strengthen professionalism, accountability, and service delivery in public health practice,” the statement reads.
The ministry further outlined its broader goal of strengthening healthcare systems and supporting frontline workers.
“The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to building a resilient health system by ensuring that public health practitioners are adequately supported and equipped to protect and promote the health of all Kenyans,” part of the ministry’s statement reads.